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Libertarian here, so I'm comfortable with people owning their own bodies and being solely responsible for what they do with it. Having said that, I'd like to m

Libertarian here, so I'm comfortable with people owning their own bodies and being solely responsible for what they do with it. Having said that, I'd like to make the case for keeping it illegal because I believe there's a strong case to be made. Killing yourself should be a unique, extraordinary event in both your life and the lives of those around you. We should never make a system out of killing people, because systems can be gamed. In a way, this is much the same discussion as the old "would you torture a terrorist to determine where a nuclear bomb was waiting to go off?" Yes. Yes I would. I would consider such an act to be horribly immoral, and I might regret it to the day I die, but yes, I would. Likewise I'd take my own life or help people I love take theirs -- but I would worry over whether I did the right thing or not. If I were a religious person, I might consider my act immoral. But I'd still do it. Once you create a system out of killing people -- people go in one side, forms get filled out, and dead people come out the other -- you've taken a step towards the state arbitrarily deciding who lives or dies based on its own system of value and not the individual's. So in a way, you give up much more in this fashion than if you simply outlawed it and never prosecuted. (Which is probably what happens 90% of the time in countries where assisted suicide is illegal.) So yeah, I'd torture the terrorist. But I'd raise holy hell for any system of government where torture was a accepted way of doing things. Good grief, can you imagine what just a little tweaking would do to a system like that? Speeding is illegal. If you want to speed on the way to the hospital because somebody you love is in danger? Speed. By all means, speed. I'll be the first person to protest any law enforcement person that tries to stop you. But speeding should probably still be illegal for systemic reasons not related at all to your loved one being ill.

the_ancient 10y ago
Libertarian Here... I challenge how you square your belief with libertarianism If you say it illegal for a person to commit suicide you are staking a claim to their life, you are saying you own them That is about as far from libertarianism as you can get
- DanielBMarkham 10y ago
  My stance is that I have that right. So do others. I made an argument that from a systemic standpoint, it's better to make illegal and never prosecute than it is to create a governmental machine around it. Please understand, I'm perfectly happy with it being legal. I'm simply trying to describe why there's a strong case for it remaining illegal (and un-prosecuted) You realize that we're not talking about people freely deciding what to do with themselves, right? What we're talking about is a bunch of new laws, committees, and processes where a person's life can be terminated, sometimes directly by the state. I'd think this is a much worse situation than simply having officials look the other way. If we were talking about removing all laws around what folks do with their lives, that'd be a different thing entirely. That's where we should be. But nobody is talking about that.
  - yourturn 10y ago
    Funny how those who talk this sort of high and mighty talk rarely walk the walk. Selective enforcement of laws is evil, unreliable and stupid - it's counter to the very reason we have laws. I want it to be legal to end one's own life because the consequences of that choice are hard enough on one's family and loved ones. It need not be made harder. What sort of choice do you want your family to face when it's your turn? Do you really want their hands tied by the risk of imprisonment when your time comes?
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antisthenes 10y ago
There's a certain irony that is lost on you when you advocate for torture but are against someone preventing their own suffering. But then again, you being a libertarian, are probably not aware of such intricacies.
- deleted 10y ago
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the_ancient 10y ago

Libertarian Here... I challenge how you square your belief with libertarianism If you say it illegal for a person to commit suicide you are staking a claim to their life, you are saying you own them That is about as far from libertarianism as you can get

DanielBMarkham 10y ago
My stance is that I have that right. So do others. I made an argument that from a systemic standpoint, it's better to make illegal and never prosecute than it is to create a governmental machine around it. Please understand, I'm perfectly happy with it being legal. I'm simply trying to describe why there's a strong case for it remaining illegal (and un-prosecuted) You realize that we're not talking about people freely deciding what to do with themselves, right? What we're talking about is a bunch of new laws, committees, and processes where a person's life can be terminated, sometimes directly by the state. I'd think this is a much worse situation than simply having officials look the other way. If we were talking about removing all laws around what folks do with their lives, that'd be a different thing entirely. That's where we should be. But nobody is talking about that.
- yourturn 10y ago
  Funny how those who talk this sort of high and mighty talk rarely walk the walk. Selective enforcement of laws is evil, unreliable and stupid - it's counter to the very reason we have laws. I want it to be legal to end one's own life because the consequences of that choice are hard enough on one's family and loved ones. It need not be made harder. What sort of choice do you want your family to face when it's your turn? Do you really want their hands tied by the risk of imprisonment when your time comes?
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antisthenes 10y ago

There's a certain irony that is lost on you when you advocate for torture but are against someone preventing their own suffering. But then again, you being a libertarian, are probably not aware of such intricacies.

deleted 10y ago
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